Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Things seem to be getting a little out of hand in Maine since the Obamas visited. From the police blotter:

Christopher Smith, 36, allegedly piled a bunch of clothing and bedding onto an air mattress and lighted the pile on fire while in the Compass Harbor Village apartment of an acquaintance, according to Lt. James Pinkham.

Mr. Smith, who might have entered the dwelling through a window, told police that the woman who rents the apartment had invited him over the night before, Lt. Pinkham said. The woman, however, said that she was drunk at the time and didn’t remember doing so.

I hate it when that happens.

This story builds to a dramatic peak:

The owner of a local kayak tour company is in hot water following a bizarre incident July 14. Brescian Lander, 34, of Bar Harbor, the owner of Acadia Park Kayak Tours, paddled to the town pier in a panic just after 9 p.m. that night, threw his kayak up onto the dock, and began hollering, asking if anyone had a boat he could borrow, Lt. James Pinkham said. When he received no response, and after a fruitless search at the restaurant next door, he ran down to the boats docked along the pier and started trying to get one started. Finally, Mr. Lander allegedly was able to start a boat and take off, Lt. Pinkham said.

Several witnesses were startled by Mr. Lander’s behavior and assumed that someone must have gone overboard from a kayak somewhere. They notified Officer Brad O’Neil, who had just gotten down to the town dock on other business. A major search operation was immediately launched, which included a contingent from the Coast Guard’s Southwest Harbor station, a search with night vision goggles, Officer O’Neil riding on a lobster boat with a lobsterman, and the take-off of a helicopter from the Coast Guard’s Boston division. No sign of anyone in the water could be found.

At some point, Lt. Pinkham said, Mr. Lander himself contacted the police. He said that he never reported anyone overboard. He said further that the reason he had to take a boat was because he left some very important business papers out on Bar Island, and that he had to retrieve them. He was worried, Officer O’Neil said, that the incoming tide was going to wash his things away. Mr. Lander was summonsed on a charge of unauthorized use of property.

Well, perhaps not so dramatic:

Two days later, on July 16, Mr. Lander called police to ask for help retrieving two kayaks that had floated out to sea during high tide. No officers were available at the time.

Then the next item, in its entirety:

Two women were reported walking topless downtown on Monday.

And? Who were they? Were they summonsed, or was Lt. Pinkham too busy dealing with Mr. Lander's problems?

Two people were reported passed out on Bridge Street early Monday. The couple was warned for trespassing.

What was the warning? "Go pass out on your own lawn?"

A landlord reported July 13 that one tenant had given her pictures of another tenant’s Facebook page that showed that tenant engaged in illegal drug activity.

I'm trying to imagine how the Chicago Police Department would respond to that call.

A group of Russians was reported breaking things on Maple Avenue on July 16.

And you thought the Cold War was over.

A Lookout Point Road resident reported July 15 that a stranger had knocked at her door and tried to yank off her screen door. The stranger said that she “just wanted to ask some questions,” according to reports.

I'll bet he said it in a Russian accent.

An intoxicated female walking in the Eagle Lake Road Saturday night was given a ride home by Officer Soren Sundberg.

I know the dating scene in Maine is slim pickings, but . . .

A woman reported July 15 that a computer hacker had changed her passwords to a social networking site, and e-mail, cell phone and banking accounts.

Probably those pesky Russians again.

While assisting Bar Harbor police with patrols during the weekend visit by President Barack Obama and his family, Officer Ryan Lawson charged two women with alcohol violations.

Shortly after midnight Sunday, Officer Lawson saw two young women lying on the sidewalk on West Street. In speaking with the women, the officer noted that they both had been drinking.

It's getting so you can't walk down the street on Mount Desert Island without stumbling over people lying about.

People swimming near the Long Pond pump station were ordered by police to get out of the water on Sunday. The area is posted “no swimming.”